NIA Cracks Down on Human Trafficking Ring: Eight Charged in Rohingya, Bangladeshi Case

India’s National Investigation Agency (NIA) has charged eight people suspected of involvement in a transnational human trafficking operation, The Hindu reported yesterday.

The accused are believed to be part of a network trafficking Rohingyas and Bangladeshis into India. The charges were filed in a supplementary charge sheet before a special court in Guwahati.

The NIA investigation revealed a concerning pattern. Trafficked individuals were allegedly forced into low-wage labor and threatened with arrest by police if they resisted.

According to the NIA, they created fake Indian identification documents for the Bangladeshi nationals.

This case builds upon an earlier investigation initiated by the Assam Special Task Force (STF) in September 2023. The NIA took over the case in October 2023 and has already filed a charge sheet against 24 Bangladeshi nationals.

The ongoing investigation aims to locate absconding suspects and dismantle the entire human trafficking network.

The NIA has reportedly uncovered a vast web of facilitators, touts, and traffickers operating across Assam, Tripura, West Bengal, and Bangladesh, highlighting the transnational nature of this criminal operation. The NIA press release emphasizes the “strong nexus” between all these operatives, suggesting a well-coordinated trafficking ring.